White Plains, NY, 4 April 2011 - The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), the worldwide leader in motion-imaging standards and education, today announced that the legendary filmmaker, special-effects pioneer, multiple OscarÆ nominee Doug Trumbull will speak at DCS 2011.

Trumbull will speak on 10 April, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the South Hall Rooms S222/223. Register today at: www.smpte.org/events/DCS2011.

Trumbull, whose credits as a director and visual effects pioneer span such seminal works as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Brainstorm, Blade Runner, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Silent Running, will discuss how the ascendance of 3D, IMAX, and giant-screen features are creating opportunities for technologies that can reduce production costs and improve the immersive quality the movie-going experience in cinema- and home-theatre environments.

His experiences with the ShowscanÆ 70mm, 60 frames-per-second process - a cinematic process which he developed and that is 2.5 times faster than standard movie and related films such as the legendary New Magic bear strongly on current issues of frame rates. Trumbull invented and patented the revolutionary Showscan process, which photographs and projects 2.5 times faster than standard movie film, rendering a picture that is not only extremely high in definition, but dramatically smoother and more realistic in its rendering of motion, similar to that seen in video.

"IMAX, 3D, and giant screens are now important factors in the movie-going experience, yet production costs and complex technologies are serious issues," said Trumbull. "I see tremendous opportunities for new technologies, including virtual sets and locations and improved high frame-rate camera and projection systems, to reduce expenses and deliver a more immersive experience in cinemas and home theatres."

Trumbull is highly regarded for both his technical conceptualization and creative vision. He won a Scientific & Engineering Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for his role in the creation of the CP-65 Showscan Camera System for 65mm motion-picture photography. He also earned three OscarÆ nominations for Best Visual Effects for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Blade Runner.

"As large-format and 3D technologies move into the mainstream, and we are now reconsidering higher frame rates, it's only logical to ask how we can use them to tell great stories, in even more compelling ways, while streamlining the production process," said SMPTE president Pete LudÈ. "We are thrilled to have Doug Trumbull, who is highly regarded in the technical and creative communities, to help move that conversation forward."

Spanning cinema, broadcast, and broadband, DCS 2011 - which is co-produced by SMPTE and NAB - is a premier industry event, drawing leading motion-imaging technologists, researchers, scientists, practitioners, manufacturers, and strategic thinkers. This year's gathering is themed Advances in Image and Sound: 3D, 4K, and Beyond.

Media Relations Contacts

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